Friends from Poros: A Memorable Meal at Brother Marcus, Borough Market, London

Every time we visit our favourite Greek island of Poros, we make new friends—and our trip in June was no exception. One of the highlights was meeting Jean and her family, fellow travellers from London, with whom we instantly clicked. We promised to reconnect back home, and as soon as we returned after yet another three wonderful weeks in Poros, plans were made.

We chose Brother Marcus, a fantastic Eastern Mediterranean restaurant located at 1 Dirty Lane, London SE1 9PA, right next to London’s famous Borough Market. Melanie and I had dined there before and loved its Greek-influenced, sharing-style menu—perfect for a meal reminiscent of our time in Greece.

It was wonderful to see Jean again. After catching up over cocktails and olives, we were looked after by our server, Lucy, who provided excellent service throughout or lunch.

To begin, we shared the Rip and Dip Platter, three delicious dips of Baba Ghanoush, Beetroot Houmous, and Fennel Tzatziki, served with warm, fluffy pitta bread. This was a simple but the perfect way to start the meal.

For our main courses, we selected:

Crispy Calamari with a tangy Zhoug Aioli

Roasted Chicken with sun-dried tomato harissa and labneh

Grilled Kofta served with aubergine begendi and Aleppo butter

Each dish was beautifully presented and full of rich, exciting flavours.

As a pleasant surprise, Lucy brought us a complimentary Crispy Aubergine Skewer with a shatta herb sauce, that the kitchen had mistakenly prepared. It turned out to be a delightful, spicy addition to our meal.

Although we were all feeling quite full, we couldn’t resist the dessert menu. Each of us picked a different treat:

I had the Tahini Cheesecake, which featured a light, tahini-flavoured soft cheese on a bed of kataifi pastry, served with a poached pear.

Melanie chose the decadent Chocolate Brownie, paired with raspberry and sumac labneh and a berry compote.

Jean opted for the refreshing Rosewater Ice Cream, a perfect end to the meal.

All three desserts were outstanding, and we couldn’t stop raving about them.

Final Thoughts

Brother Marcus offers superb brasserie-style dishes, ideal for sharing with friends in a relaxed atmosphere. The combination of Eastern Mediterranean flavours and excellent service made for a memorable lunch. Special thanks to Lucy for her attentive and faultless service, which enhanced our dining experience.